To get advice and support call 07449 105 436 or email clem.richards@bonnydowns.org
Monday to Thursdays 9 am – 5 pm
If you, or an older person you know, needs advice, information or practical support on a wide range of issues why not speak to one of our specialist advocates in confidence.
Our advocate support people to say what they want, secure their rights, represent their interests and help obtain services they need.
Every day our Advocacy Service deals with calls from older people in need. Call us today to make sure that you are receiving all the help and support available to you.
Support we are currently able to offer include:
- Information about local services and support groups
- Identify support needs and make referrals to in-house services where possible:
- BDCA Telephone Befriending
- Housing Matters
- Complaint Resolutions
- Specialist Welfare Benefits Support
- Debt Advice
- Help with completing paper and online forms for:
- Pension Credit
- Blue Badge
- Disabled Freedom Pass
- Identify support needs and make referrals to other agencies
- Emergency food and other practical support: #HelpNewham initiative (food, hygiene box, prescription delivery, telephone befriending)
What is advocacy?
In a nutshell, advocacy is about empowerment and communication. It’s about supporting people who – for whatever reason – find themselves in a situation where they need a bit of extra support to be heard. Our advocacy service supports adults to have their say, helping them to access the knowledge they need to make informed choices about their situation and assisting them to secure their rights.
When can advocacy help?
Well, it can help in a lot of different situations, because advocacy covers such a broad range of issues. For example, we do a lot of housing related advocacy – such as supporting people to communicate with their landlord or housing provider to ensure their rights as tenants are being met and their accommodation is suitable and safe. We support people to appeal welfare benefit decisions such as PIP or ESA and also help people apply for transport support schemes such as Blue Badges. We have helped those who are bereaved to complete any stressful admin and also help many adults to access social care when experiencing a decline in their health. So whether you want to have a walk-in shower installed or regular care each week, our advocacy service can support you.
These are just a few examples, and there are so many more different life scenarios and situations where advocacy can support people to have a voice.
How we can help:
This is dependent on the types of situations/issues that people need help with. If you aren’t sure whether advocacy can help – contact us anyway. We’ll listen to your story and even if it’s a case where we’re not the right service, we’ll do our best to put you in contact with someone who can assist.
Who we can support:
The advocacy service is for Newham residents over the age of 50 who need someone to support them to get their voice heard and their wishes understood. We mainly work directly with people who are feeling vulnerable and want support around an issue. However, more and more carers, including partners and family members, are seeking support on behalf of their loved ones.
For more information about our Elders Advocacy service call 07449 105 436 or email clem.richards@bonnydowns.org